¹⁶ And the scribes and the Pharisees, having seen him eating with the tax-gatherers and sinners, said to his disciples, `Why -- that with the tax-gatherers and sinners he doth eat and drink?'

⁹ And there came a great cry, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part having arisen, were striving, saying, `No evil do we find in this man; and if a spirit spake to him, or a messenger, we may not fight against God;'

⁷ and having seen `it', they were all murmuring, saying -- `With a sinful man he went in to lodge!'

¹¹ the Pharisee having stood by himself, thus prayed: God, I thank Thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer;

⁵ Who are saying, `Keep to thyself, come not nigh to me, For I have declared thee unholy.' These `are' a smoke in Mine anger, A fire burning all the day.

³ for consider again him who endured such gainsaying from the sinners to himself, that ye may not be wearied in your souls -- being faint.

¹⁵ and he who is spiritual, doth discern indeed all things, and he himself is by no one discerned;

¹⁰ for the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.'

² and the Pharisees and the scribes were murmuring, saying -- This one doth receive sinners, and doth eat with them.'

³ And he spake unto them this simile, saying,

⁴ `What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one out of them, doth not leave behind the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go on after the lost one, till he may find it?

⁵ and having found, he doth lay `it' on his shoulders rejoicing,

⁶ and having come to the house, he doth call together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I found my sheep -- the lost one.

⁷ `I say to you, that so joy shall be in the heaven over one sinner reforming, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men, who have no need of reformation.

⁷ `Why doth this one thus speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins except one -- God?'

¹⁷ `And if he may not hear them, say `it' to the assembly, and if also the assembly he may not hear, let him be to thee as the heathen man and the tax-gatherer.

¹¹ and the Pharisees having seen, said to his disciples, `Wherefore with the tax-gatherers and sinners doth your teacher eat?'